Here are very beneficial tips for to having a memorable and enjoyable time for you, the guest, and of course, for the happy couple! I am the wedding expert, I believe I have enough credibility to be called the expert (been to at least 8-10 a year since I can remember)

DO be generous with the wedding gift. Remember, the couple is going above and beyond to make the day not only fabulous for themselves, but for all their guests. Plus they might have a tight budget, give them something they’ll love! And not many individuals are invited to weddings nowadays, due to saving money. Feel honored, and get very lovely gifts, spending about $75 per person attending. If you and a plus one are attending and the total gift you paid for is $30… keep on giving! Buy bunch of stuff from the registry or even personalized items. You will be helping the couple significantly! Money is always the number one option, but if they have a registry, definitely help them out there!

Suggestions: Thingsremembered.com or Personalcreations.com are a couple of my favs! I bought a bunch of frames for my best friend and she loved them!

DON’T wear white. Unless you are part of the wedding party (aka a flower girl). White is for the bride. Now many cultures not require the bride to wear white, so for that situation it is perfectly acceptable. However, white/off-white/ivory isfor the beautiful gal of the night. It is her day to shine and stick out. I don’t like what Kim K did for her faux wedding. She completely blended in with everyone!!!! Another advice, color. Stick with lots of color. You’ll look better in pics 😉

wait, who’s the bride? is it a multiple wedding?

DO take an extra pair of shoes, preferably cute slippers you can have in your bag. In my culture, all the ladies wear high heels, and as beautiful as they are, our feet want to kill us by the end of the night. Plus we dance like there’s no tomorrow. The amount of dancing we do, our feet are numb in a couple hours lol. I always take cute slippers or sandals with me and have them in my bag. I don’t like being barefoot because I can slip or get my feet dirty (that’s not very ladylike!) And I know, as the Shoe Expert, I give permission to put your poor feet’s health before beauty 🙂 And cute sneakers are fine, as long as they do not show under your dress.

DO RSVP!!! You will save the bride and groom a headache. And plan out everything ahead of time, getting there, schedule, etc.

DON’T dress your kids up in casual wear! A BIG PET PEEVE OF MINE! I hate seeing children in t-shirts and jeans running around at formal banquet halls … and their parents dressed like they are at the Oscars. I am thinking, “okay did your babysitter bail out last minute?” No, dress up your kids, they will like it plus the pics will look much better. Last wedding I went to I saw a little boy wearing a spongebob shirt and crocs while the mother looked like Angelina Jolie at a movie premiere… plus it was the kid’s older cousin. You think he would have looked a lot nicer. Now, if your kids do runa round and sweat and need a change of clothes, give them something nicer to wear, not rags,etc. Dress up de behbes!

How adorable are they!?

DO take a camera. Sure, everyone will be snapping shots, but you need memories of your own. Don’t steal them from others (you can later) but your own pics will come in handy later on…

DO attend the ceremony. I have noticed that not many guests show up to the ceremony and come right before the reception. This is very rude. The ceremony might not even take long but it is the most special moment in the bride and groom’s life and they wanted you to share that moment with them. So get your butt to church, temple, etc.

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DON’T bring extra guests!!! Unless the bride and groom already put you down for it and want you to, don’t bring every single person in your family, like your parents, uncle Bob, Aunt Susie, cousins Eric & Dylan, neighbor Aaron and your pet parakeet. You get my point? A plus one is fine and unless they invite your whole family, go for it.

DON’T get drunk. Unless you are Middle Eastern and blood related, then there are few exceptions.
DON’T say inappropriate things. This could be rude or irrelevant topics. Nothing to put the bride or groom (or others) in a terrible or nervous mood. This could be like talking about how you lost your job or asking why a certain someone wasn’t invited. Or telling the bride she looks okay. You get my point!

DO give the bride and groom space. They need to spend equal time with each guest plus moments together. If you are attending by yourself, make friends and hang out with them.

DON’T fight with the photographer. They know what they are doing. Now unless they are part of the “Russian Mafia” which I like to call them, AVOID THEM! They aren’t really part of the Russian mob, they probably aren’t even Russian! But they are nosy and get in the way of everything, plus they weren’t hired by the couple, just some person trying to make a few bucks off of the guests pretending to be a big shot.

And of course, DO DANCE and have a great time! Weddings are supposed to be fun and enjoyable events. Put all problems aside and party! WOOO!